Citizen Kane


Made in 1941, the main character Charles Foster Kane is played by Orson Welles, who also directed the film. The movie displayed unique camera angles using reflections, Metaphorical Shadowing, and large scale wide angle views that are visually pleasing. The story of Citizen Kane begins at the end, with Kane's last breath he whispered "rosebud". The rest of the movie plays out with a Journalist, Jerry Thompson(played by William Alland) searching for the meaning behind rosebud. The most powerful man in the world who had it all then lost it all, why would his last words be rosebud? He reads the story of Kane's early life from passages writen by the banker who adopted Kane as a boy, Walter Parks Thatcher (George Coulouris). Thompson doesn't find the meaning of rosebud there so he goes on with his search going from person to person that Kane knew during his time on earth. From his second wife, Susan Alexander (Dorothy Comingore), to his friends and employee's such as Mr. Bernstein: Kane’s friend and employee, played by Everett Sloane. He doesn't find the answer to his question from anyone he asked and the question remains a mystery to the Characters in the movie. Kane's parents struck gold and his mother sent him away to be raised by a banker so he can be better educated and grow up to become wealthy. Kane grows up a little bitter and has full knowledge of his wealth, he starts a newspaper that lies to the public but keeps them interested. He buys out the writers from his competitor paper, The Chronicle. He marries the presidents daughter for publicity then divorses and marries a girl who claims to be a singer. He builds her an opera house and she is a terrible singer but makes sure that the papers say otherwise.